Deal reached with new ownership to keep Ocean Springs football on WOSM radio

WOSM radio will continue to be the home of Ocean Springs Greyhound football games after school officials reached a deal this week with new station ownership.File Photo/Gulflive.com

OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- It will be about another month before
TeleSouth Communications takes ownership of WOSM radio in Ocean Springs,
but the new management has already taken steps to provide some
continuity to long-time listeners.

Earlier this week, Kipp
Gregory, who will be the new General Manager at WOSM, and Ocean Springs
Athletic Director Mark Hubbard reached agreement on a deal which will
keep Ocean Springs High School football games on WOSM (103.1 FM).

"We
are extremely pleased to continue the heritage of Ocean Springs
Greyhound football on WOSM," Gregory said Friday. "It was an absolute
priority for us to keep Ocean Springs football, right from day one."

WOSM
founders Charles and Margaret Cooper reached agreement with TeleSouth
to sell the station for $1.5 million. They founded the station and began
carrying Ocean Springs football from the outset.

"We are
delighted that WOSM will continue to bring our fans the broadcast of
Greyhound football games," Hubbard said. "It's been a long-standing
tradition and we're very pleased it's going to remain that way. We look
forward to working with Kipp and his team as they take over the
station."

There had been some concern that due to the timing of
the transfer of ownership, Gregory and his team would not be in place in
order to broadcast the Greyhounds' opening game against George County
on Aug. 23.

On Friday, however, he said everything would be in place in time for the first game.

In addition, Greyhound broadcasters Jeff Shepard and Warren Kulo will continue in that capacity.

"I
think it's great we're able to continue the partnership between Ocean
Springs football and 103.1," Shepard said. "Warren and I look forward to
another 40 years of partnership with TeleSouth."

In addition to
the opening game against George County in Lucedale, the Greyhounds'
schedule includes home games against Pascagoula, Moss Point, Hancock,
Biloxi and St. Martin, with road games at Gautier, D'Iberville, Harrison
Central, Gulfport and Hattiesburg. They have an open date on Sept. 20.